Cablegate: Vietnam: Preparing for the Annual Consultative Group Meeting, December 14-15

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

010610Z Dec 00

2000HANOI02614 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9352

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ACTION AID-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00
VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 FMP-00 DSCC-00
DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /002W
------------------A628C6 010612Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1423
INFO AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH PRIORITY
AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
DEPTTREAS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002614

SIPDIS

AIDAC

STATE PASS TO AID FOR A/A BOB RANDOLPH AND ANE/
ANTOINNETTE FERRARA
PHNOM PENH FOR AID: LCHILES
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF AND EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN PREL VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM: PREPARING FOR THE ANNUAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING, DECEMBER 14-15

REF: A) SPECHT/LANGLAND/HICKS/FERRARA EMAIL

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11/29/00; B) SPECHT/LANGLAND FAX 11/30/00; C)
FERRARA/SPECHT EMAIL 11/23/00; D) HICKS/SPECHT EMAIL
11/21/00

1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARAGRAPH 11.

2. SUMMARY: THE WORLD BANK RECENTLY HOSTED A DONOR
REPRESENTATIVES' MEETING TO PRESENT THE DONOR'S
DEVELOPMENT REPORT "ENTERING THE 21ST CENTURY" AND TO
DISCUSS THE DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE UPCOMING ANNUAL
CONSULTATIVE GROUP (CG) MEETING. THIS YEAR'S DONOR'S
REPORT ENTITLED "ENTERING THE 21ST CENTURY," IS
ITSELF BASED ON THE DRAFT SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGY FOR 2001-2010 BEING PREPARED FOR THE
UPCOMING 9TH PARTY CONGRESS AND WILL SERVE AS THE
BASIS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE CG. IN INTRODUCING THE
DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE MEETING, THE CG ORGANIZER'S
NOTED THAT THEY WISH TO CONDUCT MEETINGS PRIMARILY AS
DIALOGUES, AVOIDING LENGTHY SPEECHES. THEY INTEND TO
POSE 3-4 LEADING QUESTIONS AS A WAY OF KICKING OFF
DISCUSSION IN EACH OF THE SUBSTANTIVE SESSIONS.
DONOR REPRESENTATIVES WERE ASKED TO INFORM THEIR
DELEGATIONS THAT THEY SHOULD REFRAIN FROM DELIVERING
LENGTHY PREPARED STATEMENTS AS HAS BEEN DONE IN THE
PAST. IF WASHINGTON AGENCIES DESIRE, A WRITTEN
STATEMENT CAN BE SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARIAT FOR
DISTRIBUTION. END SUMMARY.

3. AMBASSADOR PETERSON AND EMBOFFS ATTENDED MEETING
NOVEMBER 28 HOSTED BY THE WORLD BANK OFFICE IN HANOI
TO PREPARE FOR THE ANNUAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP (CG)
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MEETING WHICH WILL BE HELD THIS YEAR IN HANOI
DECEMBER 14-15. A PRIVATE SECTOR FORUM WILL BE HELD
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CG DECEMBER 13. CG ORGANIZERS
NOTED THAT THIS CG WILL FOCUS ON THE LONG-TERM
MARKING A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE FROM CG'S OF THE PAST
THAT HAD A MUCH SHORTER TERM FOCUS.

4. THE PURPOSE OF THE CG MEETING THIS YEAR IS TO
ASSIST VIETNAM TO DEVELOP FEASIBLE, EFFECTIVE
POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGY FOR THE FIRST DECADE OF THE 21ST CENTURY
WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING PREPARED BY THE COMMUNIST
PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV) FOR THE 9TH PARTY CONGRESS,
SCHEDULED TO BE HELD SPRING 2001.

5. PART I OF THE DONOR REPORT, ENTITLED "PILLARS OF
DEVELOPMENT," USES THE DRAFT CPV STRATEGY AS A
STARTING POINT. IT OUTLINES ADDITIONAL TARGETS AND
POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL BE NECESSARY IF VIETNAM IS
TO SUCCEED IN MEETING THE STRATEGY'S AMBITIOUS GOALS
WHICH AIM TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE
OF ALL VIETNAMESE CITIZENS BY ATTAINING SUSTAINED
RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF
THE ECONOMY TO A MORE MODERN, INDUSTRIAL AND URBAN
ONE THAT CAN CREATE BETTER-PAYING JOBS, THUS ENABLING
VIETNAM TO MOVE CLOSER TO ITS STATED GOAL OF BEING AN
"INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY" BY 2020. ONE MAJOR THEME
WILL BE ENCOURAGING VIETNAM TO PAY ATTENTION TO
ACHIEVING HIGH "QUALITY" GROWTH AS WELL AS A HIGH
"QUANTITY" OF GROWTH. THE REPORT ITSELF IS ORGANIZED
AROUND 6 THEMES OR "DEVELOPMENTAL PILLARS" WHICH,
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ACCORDING TO THE DONOR REPORT, THE GVN HAS DETERMINED
ARE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE VIETNAM'S GOALS. THEY
ARE:

- CREATING AN SUPPORTIVE CLIMATE FOR ENTERPRISE;
- TRANSFORMING THE RURAL ECONOMY;
- ENHANCING HUMAN CAPACITY;
- PROVIDING EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES;
- IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; AND
- BUILDING MODERN GOVERNANCE.

6. A COMPANION REPORT ON THE "PARTNERSHIPS FOR
DEVELOPMENT" FORMS PART II OF THE DONOR REPORT. IT
CONTAINS THE REPORTS OF SOME OF THE 25 GOVERNMENT-
DONOR-NGO PARTNERSHIP WORKING GROUPS COMPLETED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1999 CG
AND THE 2000 MID-YEAR REVIEW. (COPIES OF THESE
REPORTS WERE SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO STATE, USAID AND
AID PHNOM PENH REF A.)

7. A DRAFT AGENDA WAS ALSO CIRCULATED AND DISCUSSED
AT THIS MEETING. (SEE REF B.) THIS AGENDA IS NOT YET
FINAL AND COULD CHANGE ALTHOUGH NO SIGNIFICANT
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CHANGES WERE SUGGESTED BY PARTICIPANTS OF THE
PREPARATORY MEETING. IT ENVISIONS THE FOLLOWING
SUBSTANTIVE SESSIONS:

SESSION I: VIETNAM 2010 -- THE ECONOMIC AND
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR EQUITABLE GROWTH

NOTE: THE GOVERNMENT AND THE DONOR'S REPORTS WILL BE
BRIEFLY PRESENTED AT THE OUTSET OF THIS SESSION.

SESSION II: KEY IMPERATIVES: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

SESSION III: KEY IMPERATIVES: QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT

SESSION IV: KEY IMPERATIVES: RURAL DEVELOPMENT

SESSION V: KEY IMPERATIVES: INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT

SESSION IV: ODA NEEDS AND INDICATIONS

NOTE: DONORS WILL ANNOUNCE THEIR PLEDGES AT THIS
SESSION.

8. CG ORGANIZERS ALSO WISH TO CHANGE THE FORMAT OF
THE MEETING THIS YEAR. RATHER THAN HAVE SESSIONS
WHICH ARE DOMINATED BY FORMAL SPEECHES AND LENGTHY
INTERVENTIONS, AS IN THE PAST, THEY WANT THE FOCUS TO
BE ON DIALOGUE. THEY PLAN TO POSIT 3-4 LEADING
QUESTIONS AT THE OUTSET OF EACH SESSION WHICH WILL
FORM THE BASIS FOR THE ENSUING DISCUSSION. THESE
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QUESTIONS ARE TO BE REFINED AND RELEASED AT
PREPARATORY MEETING EARLY THE WEEK OF DEC. 4. WE
WILL FORWARD THEM TO INTERESTED AGENCIES AS SOON AS
THEY ARE AVAILABLE. THIS APPROACH WILL REQUIRE THAT
PARTICIPANTS CLOSELY READ THE DONOR AND GOVERNMENT
REPORTS AS NO DETAILED PRESENTATION WILL BE MADE
BEYOND A GENERAL OVERVIEW. DONORS ARE WELCOME TO
PREPARE WRITTEN STATEMENTS WHICH MUST BE SUBMITTED TO
THE CG SECRETARIAT IN HANOI AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE
SECRETARIAT WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THESE

SIPDIS
STATEMENTS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS.

9. THE WORLD BANK HAS PROVIDED THE EMBASSY AN
ASSISTANCE INDICATIONS FORM AND ASKED THAT IT BE
COMPLETED AND RETURNED BY NOV. 30. THIS FORM
REQUIRES DETAILED INFORMATION ON 2000 COMMITMENTS,
2000 DISBURSEMENTS AND 2001 PLEDGES FOR PROJECT, NON-
PROJECT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ALL U.S.
AGENCIES.

10. THIS YEAR'S DELEGATION LIST IS DUE NOW TO THE
WORLD BANK OFFICE IN HANOI. ON THE BASIS OF THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED REF D, WE WILL SUBMIT THE
FOLLOWING LIST:

ROBERT RANDOLPH, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, USAID, HEAD
OF DELEGATION

AMBASSADOR PETE PETERSON
LISA CHILES, MISSION DIRECTOR, USAID REGIONAL MISSION
ROBERT DRY, ECONOMIC COUNSELOR
UNCLASSIFIED

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JEAN GILSON, DIRECTOR, USAID OFFICE IN VIETNAM
LINDA STUART SPECHT, ECONOMIC OFFICER.

11. ACTION REQUEST: WASHINGTON AGENCIES ARE
REQUESTED TO PREPARE PLEDGING INFORMATION AND WRITTEN
STATEMENT(S). POST WAS PLEASED TO LEARN THAT USAID
AND STATE HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO PREPARE THIS
DOCUMENTATION (REF B AND D). WE STAND READY TO
PROVIDE INPUT OR FACTUAL INFORMATION YOU MIGHT
REQUIRE AS WELL AS CLEARANCE. WE ARE ALSO READY TO
ASSIST IN TALKING POINTS PREPARATION ADDRESSING THE
KEY QUESTIONS TO BE POSED AT SUBSTANTIVE SESSIONS
WHEN THESE QUESTIONS COME AVAILABLE. WE WOULD
APPRECIATE WASHINGTON AGENCIES PROVIDING US WITH
DRAFT PAPERS FOR OUR COMMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. END
ACTION REQUEST.

UNCLASSIFIED

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